Since around March of this year, a bee became lodged in my bonnet! This was to refocus my collection to include a rather neglected but interesting to me, decade.
If you've been following my collection escapades of the last year, you can't have failed to notice the additions. 1988 TX100, 1987, Salora, 1986 Panasonic, 1986 GEC McMichael, 1983 & 1984 PYE, 1978 & 1979 Philips K12/G11, 1979 Ferguson and of course the 1977 Rank Arena & 1976 Sharp, many with Teletext, a few without. This also included adding period appropriate VCRs for underneath. Yes, the decade being 1978-1988.
The trouble being all these additions had left little space, and the museum was in a total mess with little or no room to move. Over the next few months, I mulled over what would, or should, be leaving. The first batch, mostly monster consoles that take up too much room, left last week to their new home. It was important to me that these fairly rare sets went to a good home and not a shed or garage, happy to say they are nicely tucked up in another fellow collector's heated museum. The next batch will likely go towards the end of the year, once I've had a chance to mull over which they are, I'm hoping at least another five or six as I still need more room as the PCB parts store is full of TVs too.
I used to have around six Thorn 3000s/3500 I now only have two. I also used to have four Thorn 2000, now just one! Anyway, thought I'd just show a few photos of the museum as it currently stands. More changes to come, and I'm hoping to add a section with a few shelves to house my ever-growing collection of VCRs. I want a section like you used to see in comet and Curry's, with all the VCRs laid out as well as under the TVs.
Remember theG8 is still available from the first batch see here, and If you've something to swap that's interesting and in that decade I'm extending the collection into, drop me a pm.
You can always keep an eye on what's changing here.
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@crustytv You have a nice collection Chris, we were Pye/Ekco dealers so I always have a soft spot for those. I have even come to forgive the designers of the 697 chassis, I think that design was due to economics, had to get something out of the factory to keep the wages being paid.
Frank
we were Pye/Ekco dealers so I always have a soft spot for those.
Hi Frank, there are six PYE TVs in the collection, 1x 691, 2x 697 (one badged as EKCO), 1x K12, 1x K3 and 1x K35. Two are not in the photos, as they're currently in the lounge. The PYE I like the most is the K12, stunning picture and stunning sound. It has the feel of being a flagship model, I'm just very surprised it did not have Teletext.
CrustyTV Television Shop: Take a virtual tour
Crusty's TV/VCR Collection: View my collection
Crustys Youtube Channel: My stuff
Crusty's 70s Lounge: Take a peek
The K12 was a stunning set. Not so popular in the UK but lots on the Continent. I think the UK only had the Pye/Philips variants plus a projection set and a 'Video Centre' that was equipped with a 26" K12 chassis, a VR2020 VCR and a 12" B/W monitor based on the TX mono chassis which could be used as a monitor for the video. I don't remember that having Teletext either.
If you've not seen the Video Centre, there is one shown on the radiomusem website Video Centre 8078 26CP2601 Ch= K12 Television Philips; Eindhoven |Radiomuseum.org
I saw a couple of K12s. We bought a small dealers rental accounts in the '80's they were mostly G11s and K30s but there were a few surprises. A couple of K12s came back in, they must have been getting on by then. Were they available to independent Pye/ Philips dealers does anyone know? Or was it just the big firms buying them in quantity for rental? I don't think we saw any as customer repairs.
The museum is looking good Chris! I see 'my' G11 is in pride of place! 😎
If you've not seen the Video Centre, there is one shown on the radiomusem website Video Centre 8078 26CP2601 Ch= K12 Television Philips; Eindhoven |Radiomuseum.org
Hi Rich.1 Wow! Now I'd like to find one of those, I had no idea that even existed.
The museum is looking good Chris! I see 'my' G11 is in pride of place!
Hi Rich.2 It certainly is, that is just a temp holding position atop the Salora 1F4, it shall soon be put back on a stand. The stand it was on, was a better fit for the Sanyo, but I've got a really nice one waiting for the G11. I'll take a photo to show you once it's done.
The plan is to have the entire collection on stands, currently 22 are, that's just over half the collection. Three are floor standing models, so that leaves 18 still to do, I only have four stands left in stock. That means I need to find a further 14, I also need to build two heavy duty raised shelves in the upper and lower sections of the museum. I'll be using 900mm Kitchen worktops covered in carpet, so the TVs don't slide about, plus a retaining edge just in case. Well that's the plan, trouble is stands are getting harder and harder to locate these days.
CrustyTV Television Shop: Take a virtual tour
Crusty's TV/VCR Collection: View my collection
Crustys Youtube Channel: My stuff
Crusty's 70s Lounge: Take a peek
Well I suppose one of those video centres may turn up. They were very expensive and I only ever saw one in the flesh and that was at a Trade Show. Definitely a niche product.
